01 초급 문법 Basic grammar for beginners
한국어 기초 문법 · Korean Grammar for Beginners
How Korean sentences really work.
Korean grammar looks different from English, but its core patterns are learnable. Start with three habits: the predicate normally comes last, particles show how noun phrases work in the sentence, and verb/adjective endings carry tense, speech style, mood, and other meanings. Learn the pattern, test it, then review it until it becomes automatic.
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START HERE
Three big ideas
Almost everything in beginner grammar comes back to these three.
The predicate normally comes last
A common neutral order is Subject–Object–Predicate. The predicate can be a verb, a descriptive verb (“adjective”), or a noun + 이다.
Particles mark the job
Little tags attached to a word show if it is the topic, subject, object, place, and so on — so word order can flex.
Endings carry meaning
Verbs and descriptive verbs conjugate. Endings can show time, politeness, intention, requests, questions, connections, and more.
WORD ORDER
Topic / Subject → Object → Predicate
A common neutral pattern is “I rice eat.” But Korean often drops a topic or subject when context already makes it clear. Particles, not position alone, tell you how each noun phrase is functioning.
저는 밥을 먹어요. = “I eat / am eating rice.” Here 저는 is topic-marked, not subject-marked. In conversation, obvious information is often omitted, so 밥 먹어요. can be completely natural when everyone knows who is eating.
★ TRY FIRST · THE SENTENCE MACHINE
Build a natural sentence in 5 taps
Pick a topic, a verb, a matching noun, a time, and affirmative or negative. The noun choices change with the verb so the machine avoids nonsense combinations. Try first; the lessons below explain why each piece works.
STEP 1 · 조사
Particles — the little tags
Tap a particle to see what it does, which form to use after a consonant vs. a vowel, and an example.
THE BIG BEGINNER CONTRAST
은/는 and 이/가 are not the same
Do not memorize both as “subject markers.” Start with discourse: 은/는 sets or contrasts a topic; 이/가 identifies/focuses the grammatical subject, especially when answering “who/what?”
은/는: “As for me, I’m a student.” Sets me as the topic.
이/가: “I’m the student / I’m the one.” Focuses or identifies the subject.
A “who?” question naturally calls for a focused subject with 이/가.
One sentence can contain both: 오늘은 is the topic; 날씨가 is the subject of “is good.”
TO BE
이다 and 있다 / 없다
Two different "be" words that beginners mix up.
N + 이에요 / 예요
있어요 / 없어요
N + 이/가 아니에요
STEP 2 · 활용
Making the polite present tense (해요)
Drop the 다 to get the stem, then add 아요 / 어요 (or use 해요 for 하다 verbs). Tap a verb to see each step.
The rule in one line
If the stem's last vowel is ㅏ or ㅗ → add 아요. Otherwise → add 어요. Verbs ending in 하다 become 해요. Many combos then contract (가 + 아요 → 가요, 오 + 아요 → 와요).
★ THE CONJUGATION MACHINE
Any verb, every form
Pick a verb and instantly see its most useful forms — present, past, future, negative, "want to," "can," and the polite request. Recorded pronunciation appears for the core forms included in this lesson’s audio set.
Conjugation vs. honorific vocabulary
The machine shows the form built from the selected dictionary verb: 먹다 → 먹으세요, 자다 → 자세요. In respectful real-life speech, Korean also commonly replaces these verbs with honorific vocabulary: 드시다/드세요 (“eat”) and 주무시다/주무세요 (“sleep”). Keep the grammar pattern and the vocabulary replacement separate.
STEP 3 · 시제
Past, present, future plan / prediction
With 가다 (“to go”), compare a current/habitual event, a past event, and a future plan or prediction.
Present
Past
Future plan / prediction
STEP 4 · 부정
Saying "no" and "can't"
Tap each way to make a sentence negative.
STEP 5 · 말투와 높임
Three useful speech styles
Korean has more speech-level distinctions than these three, but these are the most useful beginner contrasts. Master 해요체 first: it is the safest everyday polite default.
반말 · casual
해요체 · polite (default)
합니다체 · formal polite
The subject honorific -시-
Use -시- when the sentence subject is someone you are honoring: 선생님께서 오셨어요. (“The teacher came.”). This is different from listener politeness. Separately, -(으)세요 is also used for polite requests, so context matters.
STEP 6 · 필수 어미
Must-know verb endings
These attach to a verb stem to add meaning like "want to," "please," "can," "let's." Tap to explore.
STEP 7 · 연결어미
Joining two ideas
Connectors link clauses: and, but, so, because, if. Tap each.
STEP 8 · 숫자
Two number systems
Korean uses two sets of numbers. Which one you pick depends on what you are counting.
Sino-Korean
Native Korean
Counters: learn the shortened forms early
Numbers usually come with a counter: 개 (things), 명 / 분 (people), 마리 (animals), 살 (age), 시 (o’clock), 시간 (hours), 분 (minutes), 권 (books), 잔 (cups), 병 (bottles). Before many Native-Korean counters use 한·두·세·네·스무, not 하나·둘·셋·넷·스물: 한 명, 두 개, 세 마리, 네 시, 스무 살.
STEP 9 · 의문사
Question words
Ask who, what, where, when, why, how. Tap for an example question.
SAVE YOURSELF 20 MISTAKES
Six beginner traps worth fixing early
These are high-frequency errors. If you can explain each contrast, your Korean gets noticeably cleaner.
1. 은/는 ≠ 이/가
Don’t: call both “subject markers.” Think topic/contrast vs. subject/focus.
2. 에 vs. 에서
학교에 가요 (destination) but 학교에서 공부해요 (place where an action happens).
3. 안 vs. 못
안 가요 = don’t go / am not going. 못 가요 = cannot go.
4. 이에요 / 예요
After a consonant: 학생이에요. After a vowel: 의자예요.
5. -시- honors the subject
선생님께서 오세요. The honored person is the sentence subject; this is different from simply being polite to the listener.
6. Counters shorten numbers
Say 한 명, 두 개, 세 마리, 네 시, 스무 살 — not 하나 명, 둘 개, 셋 마리, 넷 시, 스물 살.
PUT IT TOGETHER
Full sentences you can already read
Every piece here comes from the sections above.
★ ACTIVE RECALL
English → Korean Recall Lab
Reading feels easy; producing the sentence is the real test. Say the Korean out loud before revealing the answer. Mark difficult prompts for your next visit.
Your review queue
Normative checks used in this revision: National Institute of Korean Language guidance on the possessive particle 의, the subject-honorific -시-, and shortened Native-Korean number forms before counters.
02 중급 문법 Patterns, endings & natural sentence flow
한국어 중급 문법 · Intermediate Korean Grammar
Stop building sentences.
Start connecting ideas.
Intermediate Korean is less about learning “more endings” and more about choosing the right relationship between ideas: background vs. contrast, plan vs. decision, experience vs. result, observation vs. guess, and direct speech vs. reported speech.
YOUR INTERMEDIATE ROADMAP
12 modules that make Korean sound connected
Your progress is saved on this browser. Mark a module learned only when you can produce at least one original sentence with it.
THE MAP
The intermediate core
These are the structures that turn short beginner sentences into natural connected speech.
★ PATTERN EXPLORER
Tap a pattern. Learn the nuance.
Every card shows formation, core function, one high-value example, and the mistake learners most often make.
MODULE 1 · 관형형
Put a whole clause before a noun
Korean relative clauses come before the noun they describe. This is one of the biggest structural jumps from beginner to intermediate Korean.
Action verb
Descriptive verb
Special forms
MODULE 2 · 이유와 대비
Reason, background, and contrast are not interchangeable
The English words “because” and “but” hide several different Korean discourse choices.
-아/어서 often presents a natural cause or sequence: 비가 와서 안 갔어요.
-(으)니까 more clearly presents the speaker's reason or basis, and is the safer choice before commands/suggestions: 비가 오니까 우산을 가져가세요.
-지만 marks direct contrast: 비싸지만 좋아요.
-는데 often supplies background, sets up what comes next, or softens a contrast: 지금 바쁜데 나중에 전화할게요.
그래서 = “so / therefore,” describing a result.
그러니까 often means “so / therefore / what I'm saying is,” and can sound more speaker-driven or explanatory.
MODULE 3 · 계획과 결정
Plan, intention, and decision
These forms overlap in English but answer different questions in Korean.
Current intention or plan: 주말에 부산에 가려고 해요. — “I'm planning/intending to go to Busan this weekend.”
A decision or agreement has been made: 다음 달부터 운동하기로 했어요. — “I decided to start exercising next month.”
Future plan, prediction, or expectation depending on context: 내일 집에 있을 거예요. — “I'll probably / plan to be home tomorrow.”
MODULE 4 · 경험과 변화
Experience, change, and how you got here
Intermediate Korean often focuses not only on the event, but on the path or result.
-아/어 본 적이 있다
-게 되다
-아/어지다
MODULE 5 · 간접화법
Report what someone said
Reported speech changes depending on whether the original sentence was a statement, command, question, or suggestion.
Statement · form depends on predicate
Command · -(으)라고 하다
Question · -냐고 하다
Suggestion · -자고 하다
MODULE 6 · 추측과 판단
Say what seems true without stating it as fact
Natural Korean constantly marks how certain the speaker is and what the inference is based on.
A flexible “I think / it seems.” 밖에 비가 오는 것 같아요. — “It seems like it's raining outside.”
Useful when you want to soften a judgment or state uncertainty.
Inference from evidence: 불이 꺼져 있네요. 아무도 없나 봐요. — “The lights are off. I guess nobody is there.”
Prediction or expectation: 내일은 추울 것 같아요. — “I think it will be cold tomorrow.”
MODULE 7 · 명사화
Turn actions into “things” you can talk about
Nominalization lets a whole action become the subject or object of another sentence.
Compact, pattern-like nominalization: 한국어 공부하기가 재미있어요. — “Studying Korean is fun.”
Common in rules, habits, plans, and fixed grammar combinations.
More clause-like and concrete: 제가 좋아하는 것은 여행이에요. — “What I like is traveling.”
Also essential inside patterns such as -는 것 같다.
MODULE 8 · 동작의 흐름
Show how two actions overlap or change
These are much more precise than simply connecting everything with -고.
-(으)면서 · while
-다가 · during, then switch
-자마자 · as soon as
MODULE 9 · 허락과 금지
Permission, prohibition, and necessity
These patterns are simple structurally but extremely high-frequency in real life.
-아/어도 되다
-(으)면 안 되다
-아/어야 하다
MODULE 10 · 말끝의 뉘앙스
Sentence endings that make speech feel alive
These do not map neatly to one English word. They manage shared knowledge, explanation, and reaction.
Reminds the listener of information assumed to be known or obvious: 오늘 일요일이잖아요. — “You know it's Sunday today.”
Can sound corrective if used strongly.
Adds background or an explanation the listener may not know: 오늘은 먼저 갈게요. 약속이 있거든요. — “I'll leave first today. I have an appointment, you see.”
Shows a reaction or realization based on what the speaker is noticing: 생각보다 춥네요. — “Oh, it's colder than I expected.”
MODULE 11 · 높임의 확장
Honorific grammar + honorific vocabulary
At intermediate level, separate grammatical honorifics from lexical replacements.
Subject honorific -시-
Honorific vocabulary
-아/어 드리다
MODULE 12 · 자연스러운 완곡함
Make statements less blunt
Intermediate speakers learn not only what is grammatically correct, but what sounds socially natural.
좀 + request
-것 같아요
-는데요
★ CONTRAST LAB
Near-neighbors that intermediate learners confuse
If two patterns have the same English translation, that is exactly when you should compare them side by side.
Natural cause/sequence vs. speaker's reason/basis. Use -(으)니까 as the safer choice before commands and suggestions.
Background/setup/soft contrast vs. direct contrast.
Intention/plan in progress vs. decision/agreement already made.
Come to / end up doing due to circumstances vs. become a state or quality.
General softened judgment vs. inference based on observable evidence.
Two actions overlap vs. one action is in progress when the situation switches or another event occurs.
Try doing something vs. have experience doing it before.
Compact/action-as-concept vs. more clause-like “the act/fact of...”. Many fixed expressions strongly prefer one form.
COMMON INTERMEDIATE TRAPS
Eight mistakes worth eliminating
These are usually not vocabulary problems. They are problems of choosing the wrong relationship between clauses.
1. Translating “because” mechanically
Do not treat -아/어서 and -(으)니까 as perfect synonyms.
2. Using -지만 for every “but”
-는데 is often more natural when you are setting up context rather than making a sharp contrast.
3. Forgetting modifier tense
만나는 사람 / 만난 사람 / 만날 사람 refer to different time relationships.
4. Confusing intention with decision
가려고 해요 is not the same discourse move as 가기로 했어요.
5. Overusing “I think” literally
Korean often prefers -것 같다 rather than a direct 생각하다 translation for softened judgments.
6. Treating -네요 as simple politeness
It typically conveys the speaker's reaction or realization.
7. Mixing honorific grammar and vocabulary
-시- and replacements like 드시다 are related but not the same mechanism.
8. Keeping romanization too long
At intermediate level, rely on Hangul. Romanization can interfere with sound patterns you should now read directly.
★ ACTIVE RECALL
Meaning → Korean Pattern Recall
Do not translate word by word. Identify the relationship first, then choose the Korean pattern.
Your review queue
03 고급 문법 Advanced grammar, nuance & formal discourse
ADVANCED KOREAN · GUIDED STUDY
고급 문법은 하나씩 선택해서 공부합니다.Study advanced grammar one module at a time.
이 페이지를 처음부터 끝까지 훑어보지 마세요. 고급 한국어에서는 형태를 ‘아는 것’보다 비슷한 표현 중 왜 이것을 선택하는지 설명할 수 있어야 합니다.Do not skim this page from top to bottom. At an advanced level, knowing a form is not enough—you should be able to explain why one expression is chosen over another similar one.
How to study this page
매번 같은 5단계만 반복하면 됩니다.Use the same five-step routine every time.
아래 20개 중 하나만 선택합니다.Choose only one of the 20 modules below.
영어 번역보다 화자의 태도·근거·격식을 봅니다.Focus on stance, evidence, and register—not just the English translation.
🔊가 있는 문장은 문장 자체나 아이콘을 누릅니다.For a sentence marked 🔊, click the sentence itself or the icon.
비슷한 표현 중 하나를 실제로 선택합니다.Choose the best form among similar alternatives.
직접 한 문장을 말한 뒤 Learned로 표시합니다.Produce one sentence yourself, then mark the module Learned.
Choose your next module
카드를 누르면 그 모듈만 아래 Study Area에 열립니다. 한꺼번에 20개를 읽을 필요가 없습니다.Click a card to open only that module in the Study Area. You do not need to read all 20 modules at once.
After studying: Production Lab
모듈 몇 개를 끝낸 다음에만 사용하세요. 영어를 보고 먼저 한국어를 말한 뒤 정답을 확인합니다.Use this only after completing several modules. Read the English prompt, produce the Korean first, and then reveal the answer.